Research revealed today by Welcome Break has proven that Brits are a nation of dirty drivers as over half (54 per cent) of UK residents said they wouldn’t live in a house that is as dirty as their car. Luckily for these people, British icon, Kim Woodburn, is on hand this summer to give her top tips to turn these car owners into pristine petrolheads.
A poll of 2,000 adults from across the UK conducted by one of the UK’s leading motorway service area operators, discovered that one in ten (nine per cent) of those surveyed admitted to cleaning their cars once every six months.
For some, it’s what’s on the outside that counts, as 11 per cent questioned hilariously said they’d wash their vehicles exterior but not the interior to give the impression to others that it’s clean all over!
Of those surveyed, over half (52 per cent) claimed they found it hard to find time to clean their cars, especially those in the Greater London area, with 54 per cent saying this was the reason for their grubby motors, compared to over a third (36 per cent) in the North East. 35 per cent of participants admitted that they don’t think about cleaning their vehicle as much as they should.
It will be a welcome relief for many this week to finally see showers after weeks of dry spells, including those lazy Brits who said they let the rain do the hard work to clean their cars, so they don’t have to.
To help combat the country’s dingy motors, Welcome Break has teamed up with 80-year-old national treasure and the self-proclaimed ‘original cleaning Queen’, Kim Woodburn, to give visitors at Keele South Services a good talking to about the state of their cars, whilst also offering handy tips and tricks to keep vehicles clean and tidy.
Of the state of the nation’s cars, Kim commented, “FILTH! Absolute FILTH! My dears, I’d like to say I’m shocked at some of the cars I’ve seen at Welcome Break Keele and the results of this survey, but quite frankly, I’m not. Empty crisp packets, six-month-old newspapers, takeaway cartons, I’ve seen the lot and I’m not impressed.
“Do not fear though my loves, I’ve got some handy tips up my domestic goddess marigolds to help keep your cars spick and span. A tidy space is a tidy mind after all.”
Some of Kim’s tips for keeping cars clean and tidy for road trips this summer are:
Buy containers for your boot to put all your odds and sods in to ensure everything is stored away neatly
Seat holders are great for the kids’ bits and bobs and an ideal way for keeping belongings off the floor and seats
Grab a little bin for the front of the car – perfect for putting your toffee wrappers in. But don’t forget to empty it after your journey
It’s not just our cars that us Brits don’t keep spick and span, but our houses too. Worryingly, one in 10 of those surveyed said they only clean their bedsheets once a month.
Further to this, the poll found that women are much more efficient when it comes to cleaning their surfaces as over half (55 per cent) said they wipe their worktops daily, whilst only 32 per cent of men participate in what should be the daily chore.
Vicki Phimister, Head of Marketing at Welcome Break said, “In the words of Kim Woodburn herself, we’re clearly a bunch of dirty devils! We weren’t surprised when the research found that two in five of us said we prioritise cleaning our houses over our cars. We’ve spent a lot of time in them over the past few years, but as we fully embrace our freedom once again and people are driving across the country for staycations this summer, we need to start prioritising the cleanliness of our cars too.
“It was fantastic to have Kim at Keele South to share her tips and tricks to help our customers keep their cars clean and tidy during their summer travels. We hope her advice is put to good use and that everyone has a safe and uncluttered journey this summer.”
